Like every area of hospitality, the baking and pastry category was required to adapt within a constantly changing COVID environment. Long term exhibitor at Fine Food Australia, Mayers, has faced every challenge and is positive and excited to get back together with the industry at Fine Food 2022.  

Mayer’s Fine Foods is one of Australia’s longest established importers and distributors of gourmet foods. Established in 1957, the company has a wealth of experience and has thrived over many decades. Of course none of this experience prepared the business for the many long months of COVID and its impact on the hospitality trade.

Mayer’s National Sales and Marketing Manager, Gary Willis, said the pandemic environment has forced major disruptions in the pastry industry which may take some time to solve.

“A major impact on the industry has been the exodus of pastry chefs at the start of the pandemic, and now the industry is waiting for all this talent to return,” said Gary.

With a lack of pastry chefs in Australia at present, cafes and restaurants are relying on Mayer’s to supply ready-made products such as the company’s famous La Rose Noire pastry shells and ready-made frozen mini-desserts.

“We are doing our best to keep up with demand for these products,” said Gary. “Especially as Australians come out of lockdown and get back into restaurants, the demand for pastry is greater than ever,” he said.

Mayer also noted differences between the industries in Sydney and Melbourne due to the varying lockdown conditions.

“We noticed a far lesser impact in Sydney than Melbourne – which continues to be very conservative with ordering stock. Owners in Melbourne seem to be a little shell-shocked and still buying hesitantly,” he said.

However Gary expects the pastry industry to bounce back – potentially bigger and better than ever in 2022.

“Pastry chefs are innovative by nature,” he said, “their passion is innovating so while at the moment they may be treading cautiously, I have no doubt we will see these Chefs back in action and creating wonderful cakes and desserts in 2022”.

In anticipation of the industry emerging confidently, Mayer’s has not only taken an exhibition stand at Fine Food, but is also sponsoring the Pastry Stage.

“The exposure of sponsoring the Pastry Stage and having our stand adjacent is a very powerful combination,” said Gary. “We can’t wait to see our customers again, sharing our new products and just entertaining and educating the visitors,” he said.

Getting together in person is also an opportunity to share stories about the past two years and work out how to survive and thrive over the coming months.

“Forecasting these days is out the window as buying patterns have changed so it’s a really tricky dynamic for both suppliers and customers at the moment. Events like Fine Food allow us to get together and discuss new strategies that deal with the ongoing issues such as supply chain delays and movements in consumer preferences,” said Gary. “But most of all it’s an opportunity to encourage creativity and new ways to surprise and delight customers,” he said.

Mayers will be exhibiting all the brands it has become famous for, such as Callebaut, Cacao Barry, Van Houten, La Rose Noire, Ravifruit, Heilala and Sosa. The company is also open to expanding its brand portfolio, so watch this space for potential new launches at Fine Food 2022.

“We are in business to service our hospitality customers and ensure their needs are filled, so if we see opportunities to add brands that we admire, we look carefully into adding them to our offer,” said Gary.

The Mayer business also values brands that support their local communities. The Heilala brand, based in Tonga and NZ, supplies some of the world’s best vanilla products. The business employs and supports its local community and has become a key employer on the island. Similarly, La Rose Noire, based in the Philippines, was founded by a Swiss Pastry Chef. The business trains and employs 1700 members of the local community in pastry making who then create the highest quality pastry cases.

“Mayer’s likes to support businesses who look after their communities and assist in the development of new and exciting manufacturing destinations,” said Gary.

Of course, every brand has a story, so make sure you visit the Mayer’s stand at Fine Food 2022 to meet the team and find out more.

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